The Life and Legacy of Pope Leo XIV the Saint of the North in Peru

Robert Prevost, Pope Leo XIV

VATICAN CITY (NB360) — On Thursday, Robert Prevost may have made history as the first pope from the United States. However, in Peru, he is recognized as the saintly missionary who trudged through mud after heavy rains flooded the area, offering aid to those in need, and as the bishop who led the crucial acquisition of oxygen production plants during the COVID-19 crisis.

“He worked so diligently to secure assistance that there was not only enough for one plant but for two oxygen plants,” said Janinna Sesa, who encountered Prevost while working for the church’s Caritas nonprofit in Peru.

“He has no hesitation in repairing a broken-down truck until it’s operational,” she added.

Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope in history, evidently recognized something special in Prevost early on.

He initially sent him to Chiclayo in 2014, later bringing him to the Vatican in 2023 as the influential head of the office responsible for evaluating bishop nominations, one of the most significant roles in the Catholic Church.

On Thursday, Prevost rose to become Pope Leo XIV — the first American pontiff.

Prevost, 69, had to overcome the reluctance towards an American pope, considering the geopolitical influence already held by the U.S. in the secular realm.

Robert Prevost, Pope Leo XIV

The individual from Chicago is also a citizen of Peru and spent several years living there, initially as a missionary and later as a bishop.

In his first public address as pope, he drew upon his extensive missionary background, speaking in Italian before switching to Spanish, and not uttering a word in English while addressing the audience in St. Peter’s Square.

“Together, we must strive to discover how to be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges, engages in dialogue, and is always open to welcome — much like this piazza with open arms — to embrace everyone in need of our charity, presence, dialogue, and love,” he stated.

The new pope entered the conclave with a level of prominence that few other cardinals possessed.

Prevost was elected twice as the prior general, or top leader, of the Augustinians, the religious order established in the 13th century by St. Augustine.

After being sent by Francis to Chiclayo, he obtained Peruvian citizenship in 2015, until Francis brought him to Rome in 2023 to take on the roles of the bishops’ office and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. In this position, he maintained regular contact with the Catholic hierarchy in the region with the largest Catholic population, likely playing a key role in his election on Thursday.

The Rev. Alexander Lam, an Augustinian friar from Peru who is acquainted with the new pope, noted that he was deeply loved in Peru for his connection with the people, particularly those who are poor. He was known as an advocate for social justice and environmental care.

“Even the bishops of Peru referred to him as the saint, the Saint of the North, and he made time for everyone,” Lam mentioned in an interview with The Associated Press in Rome. “He was the kind of bishop who would meet you along the way.”

He added that when Francis visited Peru in 2018, Prevost joined his congregation by camping on the ground during the vigil before Francis’ Mass. “Roberto has that approach, that closeness. They might not be grand institutional gestures, but they are human gestures.”

Pope Leo XIV

Since arriving in Rome, Prevost has kept a low public profile, yet he is well-known among influential individuals.

He notably led one of Francis's most groundbreaking reforms, which included adding three women to the voting group responsible for recommending bishop nominations to the pope. In early 2025, Francis further demonstrated his regard by promoting Prevost to the highest rank of cardinals.

The election of a pope from the U.S. could greatly impact the future of the U.S. Catholic Church, which has been marked by sharp divisions between conservatives and progressives. With Prevost's help at the head of the bishop vetting office, Francis embarked on a 12-year mission to curb traditionalist tendencies in the United States.

Prevost’s election “is a profound indication of dedication to social issues. I believe it will be thrilling to witness a new form of American Catholicism in Rome,” stated Natalia Imperatori-Lee, a professor of religious studies at Manhattan University in New York City.

The cathedral bells in Lima, Peru’s capital, rang following the announcement of Prevost’s election. People outside the church expressed their hope for a papal visit someday.

“For us Peruvians, it is a matter of pride that this pope represents our country,” said Isabel Panez, an elementary school teacher who was near the cathedral when the news broke. “We would love for him to visit us here in Peru.”

The Rev. Fidel Purisaca Vigil, communications director for Prevost’s former diocese in Chiclayo, recalls the cardinal starting each day with prayers and breakfast with fellow priests.

“Regardless of the challenges he faces, he maintains good humor and joy,” Purisaca shared in an email.

Born in Chicago in 1955, Prevost joined the Order of St. Augustine in 1977. He studied at Villanova University near Philadelphia, earning a Bachelor of Science in 1977, and obtained a Master of Divinity degree from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1982.

In Rome, at the Augustinian headquarters near St. Peter’s Square, the atmosphere was celebratory.

The Rev. Franz Klein, treasurer general of the Augustinian order, expressed his astonishment at the news.

“For us in the Augustinian order, this is one of the most significant moments in history,” he remarked. “I’m surprised and very happy.”

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